Needlemouth
by LeisaTheGreat
Summary: Two weeks after the events of How to Crash Your Dragon, a new dragon species reveals itself. Now, it's up to Hiccup to train it. But is he up to the challenge of facing the dragon even Bork was too afraid to get near? *SEQUEL or stand-alone fanfic.* I love REVIEWS!
1. Dragon Attack

_**Chapter One**_

_**A/N: Aaaaaand I'm back! This is...*kind of* the sequel to How to Crash Your Dragon. Some details are left over from the last story but, in all, this could be a stand-alone fanfiction. Anyhow, I hope you like it and don't forget to REVIEW!**_

* * *

_"This is Berk: an island that sits pretty much in the middle of nowhere. Just a few months ago, our main occupation was killing dragons. That is, until I met Toothless. Together, we showed everyone that dragons aren't just evil monsters and that we can live with them in peace. We've been keeping notes on every dragon we've encountered so far. We think we've managed to log just about every dragon there is. Or, at least we think we have..."_

* * *

"DRAGON ATTACK!"

A horn blares somewhere in the sleeping village of Berk. Instantly, everyone snaps awake and sprints out into the streets. Why would a dragon be attacking? Everyone wants a better view of what's going on. A huge crowd of vikings spill into the streets, gazing up into the dark sky as they try to pinpoint the dragon who is supposedly attacking them. Nothing is burning, everything is quiet. What's going on?

A few seconds pass and people begin to think it may have been a false alarm. That is, until a humongous shadow glides over them and someone screams. The dragon roars and spins through the air, dive-bombing a house. The entire building shatters under the beast's massive weight.

"Where are the trainers?!" Someone shouts. "Somebody wake Hiccup!"

* * *

"Yahooo~" Hiccup cheers, laughing as Toothless twirls through the sky. The two best friends swoop through the clouds above Berk, as they always do at this hour. Toothless drones, happily and spins again. It's been a while since they've been able to do this. What with Hiccup's concussion and Toothless's leg wound, they weren't exactly in the best condition to be flying lately. Of course, that didn't stop them as often as it should have... "Okay, bud!" Hiccup calls over the sound of wind in his ears. "You ready to turn in? It's...getting..." Hiccup leans over in his saddle, eyeing Berk with a suspicious eye. "Getting late..." He finishes, steering Toothless closer. "Why are there so many lights on...?" He wonders. "Usually, everyone is asleep by now..."

Toothless tilts his head, listening to the commotion down below. He whines and looks at Hiccup, tipping him off that something is wrong.

"Come on, Toothless. Let's go check it out."

* * *

When Hiccup and Toothless land back on Berk, they're immediately greeted by the all-too familiar sounds of their home under attack. Vikings run through the streets, carrying nets and riding on dragons. A few of them notice Hiccup and yell for him to come to the town square. They're being attacked by a dragon.

Hiccup frowns. "A dragon? We haven't been attacked by a dragon since that Monstrous Nightmare a few weeks ago..." He pats Toothless's side and tells him to hurry. "They're gonna need our help."

Toothless sprints toward the center of town, his senses alert for the presence of an enemy dragon.

"Hiccup!"

He turns to find his father, Stoick, riding Thornado a few feet above him. "What's happening, dad? What kind of dragon is it?"

Stoick's expression is tight when he says, "We're not sure."

"What...?" But before Stoick can elaborate, Toothless stops dead in his tracks, jolting his Rider. "What's the matter, bud?" Just then, an ear-piercing shriek echos through the town. Hiccup flinches at the loudness of it, his head immediately beginning to ache once again with whatever is left of his concussion. He shakes it off and returns his attention to the attack. _What kind of dragon makes a sound like that? _He wonders, his inner curiosity kicking in.

With that, the dragon and Rider take off in the direction of the sound. They are shadowed, closely by Stoick and Thornado.

"Son, what are you planning on doing?" Stoick calls.

"I want to try to calm it down, see what's the matter with it. Maybe I can convince it to leave without causing anymore trouble."

"You want to try and train it?!" Stoick asks in disbelief. "Hiccup, this thing isn't just some Nadderhead or Gronckle. We have no idea what it's capable of!"

"And that's exactly why we need to try and get to know it." He points out. "I've got to try!"

Stoick sighs, knowing there's no way he can change his son's mind. "Just be careful. I'll be right behind you in case anything happens."

"Right, thanks Dad."

* * *

The town square is chaotic with vikings running around in a panic. Hiccup hasn't seen an attack this severe since the days before they trained dragons. People simply don't know what to do. No one wants to kill the dragon but they're afraid they'll end up getting killed instead. No one knows how to calm it down or subdue it since they don't know what it is.

Hiccup squints through the darkness, trying to figure out where the dragon is. Suddenly, as if out of no where, a shadowed figure zips through the square. It jumps, light on its feet, and lands on the roof of a nearby house. In this darkness, Hiccup can't make out what it looks like.

"What...is it?" He wonders, stepping off of Toothless.

Thornado lands right beside him and Stoick jumps off as well. "Remember, I'm right behind you."

Hiccup nods and starts walking toward the dragon, fighting to keep his heartbeat even and his breaths calm. No need to be afraid. Dragons are reasonable. Everything will be okay...

When the other vikings notice Hiccup, they seem to calm down. In fact, they stop running altogether and stare at him as he continues to edge closer and closer to the beast. A rumble goes through them as more and more people notice his presence.

"It's Hiccup...!"

"He's here...!"

"If anyone can handle the dragon, it's Hiccup...!"

Stoick trails behind his son, never once letting more than a foot of space between them. He wants to be there if he needs him.

As they draw closer, the dragon's features become clearer. Right now, it's sitting atop someone's home, watching the village as it calms down around it. Surely it must be confused. Just a minute ago, these people were in a panic. Now, all eyes are turned to one boy. One small, frail-looking boy who seems to be totally unafraid of the beast.

This dragon is definitely one that no one has ever seen before. Although its looks aren't that strange. At first glance, it could easily be mistaken for a Monstrous Nightmare. It's got the same body shape. The long snout and sharp teeth, the massive body... The only difference being a supreme lack of sharp scales and pointed edges. This thing is sleek-like Toothless-the only protrusions being two long, curved horns that jut out from the top of its head. Its scales are a shade of pale green though, in the dark, it appears to be a ghostly white.

_They were right...it really is a new species...! _Hiccup decides as he moves closer. _I'll bet Fishlegs will be excited to enter it into the Book of Dragons..._

"Be careful." Stoick reminds him.

"I will, Dad."

Hiccup takes a small breath and lifts his hand, motioning for everyone to back off. The dragon watches him, closely, It's tail flicking back and forth. "Easy," He says in a low voice. "It's okay."

The dragon growls but doesn't move.

"We don't want to hurt you." He stops just a few steps away and holds out his hand. "You can trust me."


	2. The Unknown Species

_**Chapter Two**_

"Easy," Hiccup says as he takes another step closer to the dragon. His hands are extended toward it in a peaceful manner, showing he isn't armed. His steps are slow and steady, not wanting to scare it.

The dragon tilts its head and stares at him with large, amber-colored eyes. It looks almost curious... Its eyes keep going back and forth between Hiccup, Toothless, Stoick and then back to Hiccup again. It growls and lowers itself closer to the roof, extending its wings as if to fly away.

"No, no...!" Hiccup says, suddenly. "It's okay. I'm not gonna hurt you. No one is going to hurt you."

"Hiccup...!" Stoick whispers after him. "What are you doing? If it wants to leave, let it go! That's our goal here."

Hiccup shakes his head and looks back to the dragon, who is now only about three feet away. "I want to try something." He says, quietly. He takes another breath and holds out one hand, offering a smile. Maybe if he can show this dragon that humans can be trusted... "It's okay." He says again, finally closing the space between them.

That's when Astrid arrives. She and Stormfly glide down over the hills and land right beside Stoick. "What's happening?" She whispers, sensing the tension that Hiccup seems to be at the center of. "What's he doing?!"

"He's trying to train that dragon." Stoick tells her, his voice as tight as his facial expression. "It's some kind of new species...you know how he is with that stuff..."

Astrid nods and faces Hiccup once again. He's only inches from the beast, one hand held out toward it. She recognizes that move from training. He's showing it that he isn't afraid...and that it shouldn't be either. He means it no harm.

It's like the entire village takes a collective gasp when the dragon suddenly moves. It draws back its huge head and bares its teeth at Hiccup, staring straight into his eyes. But Hiccup doesn't move. He just stares back, willing the dragon not to attack him and ruin this. If it does, the village will probably forget their qualms about killing...

"It's okay..." He says once more.

The dragon narrows its eyes lowers its head again, shifting closer to Hiccup. Its teeth are still bared but it doesn't make a move to attack him. Instead, it stops growling and goes still, waiting for Hiccup to do something.

A little smile tugs at the corner of Hiccup's mouth. "See, guys?" He says quietly to those around him. "Every dragon can be reasoned with..." He reaches out, slowly and places his hand on the dragon's snout. "Even those we've never seen before."

The dragon hesitates for a moment before closing its eyes and purring. The village erupts into cheers and shouts of joy at the sight of the dragon being calmed.

"Well done, Hiccup!"

"That's how it's done!"

Hiccup smiles as he looks at his fellow vikings. They're cheering for him... He chuckles, feeling almost bashful, and turns back to the dragon. In a whispered voice, he says, "But I couldn't have done it if it hadn't been for..." He trails off, his heart slamming against his ribs.

The dragon has drawn away from his hand, its eyes locked with his. Their faces are only inches apart. A low sound resonates in its throat and it tilts its head, eyeing Hiccup strangely. The dragon's red-ish yellow eyes seem to almost glow in the darkness...

_What's it...doing? _He wonders. Meanwhile, the village is still oblivious to this change. They are patting each other on the back and congratulating Stoick for having raised such a wonderful son... But Hiccup doesn't hear any of that. His focus is being sucked in by this dragon. His mind feels clouded. What is going on? It purrs again and moves closer, swaying to the side. A weird little coo comes from its mouth, almost a laugh...

Hiccup's body goes rigid, his breath catching in his throat when he realizes... _I...I can't move! _His body feels numb, heavy. His limbs won't listen to him. He's literally paralyzed where he stands. And all the while, the dragon is moving closer and closer, almost sneaking toward him. It finally lets out a growl before parting its lips. Inside its mouth are row upon row of needle-like teeth. The dragon jumps forward, moving to bite Hiccup!

But before it gets the chance to sink its teeth into him, there's a flash of violet light. The dragon makes a sound like a scream and leaps away from Hiccup, looking at the spot of sizzling flesh on its side.

Toothless snarls and runs in front of Hiccup, firing another plasma blast.

_ Toothless...! _Hiccup realizes. _He must have sensed what was happening... _

"Hiccup!" It's Stoick's voice. Hiccup's father sprints over to him, placing a hand on his son's shoulder. "What happened?!"

But Hiccup can't speak, he's still frozen where he stands.

"Son?"

"Hiccup...?" Astrid's voice is gentler, more concerned instead of confused. She moves in front of him, accidentally breaking the dragon's line of sight to Hiccup. Instantly after that, Hiccup's knees grow weak. He moans as he stumbles a bit, almost falling over. Stoick grabs his shoulder and helps him to stay on his feet.

Stoick frowns, not understanding what happened to Hiccup but knowing that the dragon did it to him. "Astrid, take Hiccup inside. We're going to work on driving this beast out of Berk."

"Yes sir." She says, slipping Hiccup's arm over her shoulder and helping him walk toward the Forge.

* * *

Once inside, she sits him on the edge of the counter and steps back. "What happened back there?" She demands, watching his face closely. He looks strange...

Hiccup doesn't answer. His expression is blank, his eyes staring at the floor.

"Hiccup!" Astrid barks, trying to snap him out of whatever trance-like state he's been placed under. When he still doesn't say anything, she barges over to him, draws back her arm and slaps him straight across the face.

"AH!" He gasps, jumping backwards and hitting the wall behind him. "A-Astrid?" Hiccup blinks and gazes around the room. "What...how did we...?"

"That dragon did something to you." She begins. "Are you okay?"

He pauses, trying to decide that. His head still feels a little foggy but he can move again. "I'm alright." He says, suddenly a light sparks in his eyes and he jumps up. "Where's the dragon? Did they..."

"No." She shakes her head. "Stoick said they would drive it away, not kill it."

Oddly enough, Hiccup breathes a sigh of relief.

"Hiccup, what kind of dragon is that? I've never seen one before..."

"No one has." Hiccup tells her, suddenly very serious. "It's not in the Book of Dragons."

"What? How do you know?"

"Well I've read through it tons of times...and besides, that thing..._hypnotized_ me. I think I would have remembered reading about a dragon who hypnotizes people."

She bites her lip. "Well if it's not in the book, then how do we know how to deal with it?"

"We'll have to figure it out ourselves." He decides. "Come on, let's get back out there before they chase it away-"

"No." She says, grabbing his wrist before he can run back outside.

"Astrid, come on. I can't just let them-"

"Listen to me." She says, firmly. "We still don't know exactly what that thing did to you. If you go back out there, it might target you again."

"I can-"

"No." She lets his wrist go and stands between him and the door. "I'll go make sure it doesn't get hurt but I want _you _to stay _here_."

"Astrid-"

"Deal?"

Hiccup sighs, placing his hands on his hips. "Fine. But be careful. We still don't know what this thing is capable of."

"Right." With that, she throws open the door and hurries outside the join the others. Before the door can close, Toothless comes running inside. The Night Fury seems unharmed, meaning he must have won in his fight against the other dragon.

Toothless coos at Hiccup and nudges his head.

Hiccup smirks. "Hey, bud. Thanks for the rescue back there."

Toothless coos again and sniffs his Rider, as if making sure he's okay. He then bounds across the room, almost knocking over pretty much everything within the shop with his tail or wings, making Hiccup laugh pretty hard.

"Okay, settle down, bud! Before you break something." Hiccup reaches out and pets his friend's head, soothing him. "Come on, we should-"

"AHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Hiccup and Toothless whirl around at the sound of the scream. "That was..." Without another moment's hesitation, they run toward the door. Throwing it open, they find the dragon flying away toward the woods. But laying on the ground, gripping her bleeding side...is Astrid.

_**A/N: Ohhh what's gonna happen next?! Let me know what you think! **_


	3. Resolve

_**Chapter Three**_

_**A/N: Happy Thanksgiving American people! Have fun eating turkey and stuffing and what-not!**_

"Astrid!" Hiccup gasps as he runs out of the blacksmith shop. He kneels down beside her, his eyes wide. Her eyes are squeezed shut against the pain, small groans come from her lips. Both of her hands are pressed against a spot on her side where the flesh has been torn. It's bleeding a lot...

Others begin to come over as well. Quiet rumbles pass through the crowd when they see her condition. Stoick pushes his way through the crowd but stops when he sees her, his expression turning grave.

"What are you all doing just standing there?!" He barks. "Someone help me move her into the Great Hall."

"Yes sir."

Toothless crawls over beside Hiccup, staring at Astrid as well. He whimpers, slightly and lowers his head, his ears going back. Gently, Toothless sniffs her side and whines again.

"Son," Stoick's voice is soft when he places a hand on Hiccup's shoulder. "Come, we're going to take her into the Great Hall so the elder can have a look at that wound."

But Hiccup feels numb. It's not the same as when the dragon hypnotized him...this is a much deeper numbness. Colder. He nods, jerkily and stands up so his father can pick Astrid up. She gasps in pain and moans, gripping her wound tighter. Just the sight of her makes Hiccup flinch as well.

Stoick cradles the injured girl in his arms and begins walking toward the Hall. Hiccup follows him.

"What happened, Dad? How did she get hurt?" He asks in a shaky voice.

Stoick shakes his head. "I didn't see it happen."

Hiccup bites his lip, trying to calm himself. _Astrid will be okay... She's tough... She'll be fine... _He tells him. _There's no way she'd die..._ That's when Toothless nudges his Rider's leg, cooing softly. Hiccup nods but his eyes never leave Astrid. He reaches down and pets Toothless. "I know, bud... No need to worry..."

* * *

Astrid is laid on one of the many tables in the Great Hall. No one except Stoick, Hiccup and Gothi are allowed to get close to her. Well, Hiccup wasn't allowed either but they eventually gave up trying to keep him away.

Gothi's expression is tight when she removes Astrid's hands from the wound. A large amount of blood drips onto the table almost immediately and Astrid groans. Her face is pale, white as a sheet. She struggles when Gothi tries to lift her shirt so Stoick has to hold her wrists down.

"Hiccup, if you're going to stand there, help me!" Stoick barks, suddenly.

Hiccup remains glued in his spot for a moment. "U-um, okay..." He inches closer and Stoick orders him to hold her legs down so she doesn't kick and make the wound worse. Hiccup does as he's told, gently holding her ankles. However, gentle doesn't really work and Astrid unconsciously kicks him square in the jaw. Hiccup stumbles away in shock, making Stoick bark at him to keep holding her.

All the while, Gothi's expert hands peel back the blood-soaked shirt to reveal the gaping wound on Astrid's left side, just below the ribs. It's not deep but it's bleeding quite a lot. That dragon really took a chunk out of her... But...what's this?

Astrid gasps, her body going stiff for a moment when Gothi removes the object from her wound. It's a...needle? Gothi turns it over in her hands, confused. How did Astrid get a needle in her side?

Hiccup recognizes it immediately. "That's one of its teeth...!" He says and everyone looks at him. "The dragon's I mean...it's teeth looked just like that!"

Gothi nods and places the tooth on the table beside Astrid. Gobber hobbles forward, ready to interpret what the elder has to say. She takes her cane and begins scrawling something on the floor. Stoick and Hiccup release Astrid's arms and legs and go over to watch.

"She says..." Gobber squints his eyes and tilts his head, reading what she has written. "That Astrid was bitten by the dragon...and it..." He frowns in despair. "It injected her with some kind of poison..."

"Poison...?" Hiccup asks, coming closer. "You're sure that's what she said?"

"Yes, lad."

"So?" Someone yells from the crowd. "Is she gonna make it?"

Gothi writes something else and Gobber translates it.

"The wound itself isn't fatal. It will heal in time."

"But the...poison?" Hiccup asks, already having his suspicions about where this is going. "How bad is that...?"

"We can't know." Gobber says. "It's unlike any poison we've ever seen."

Hiccup closes his eyes, feeling dizzy and sick to his stomach. There's no cure to the poison? They have no way of knowing if it will kill Astrid? He feels someone touch his shoulder.

"Son, why don't you and Toothless head home. We can take care of her..."

"No." Hiccup shakes his head, reopening his eyes. "I can help!"

Gobber sighs and ushers Hiccup away from the crowd. In a low voice, he says, "What your father is trying to say is...you're not in the best condition to be taking care of her."

"What do you mean-"

"I mean, this impacts you more than anyone. She's your friend and seeing her like this hurts you. The last thing you need is more stress in that head of yours..."

Hiccup glares at him, understanding what he's getting at. "I'm fine, Gobber. You need to stop worrying about me and help Astrid!"

"That's what I'm trying to do." He growls. "Do as your father says. He knows what's best for you."

"But-"

"Now."

Hiccup parts his lips as if to keep arguing but says nothing. A broken sigh escapes instead and closes his mouth. Toothless crawls over and coos, nuzzling Hiccup's head. "Fine..." He mutters. "But I'm coming back in a few hours to check on her."

"Hiccup-"

"Come on, Gobber. I'm trying to compromise."

Gobber sighs. "Alright. Go home and get some sleep. We'll probably take her to Gothi's hut a little later. Come there when you're ready."

Hiccup nods and whispers for Toothless to follow him. The Night Fury does so quietly, his ears back and head low to the ground.

* * *

Hiccup shivers against the cold air outside the Great Hall. Snow is falling from the dark sky and settling on the frozen ground, already making heaps in the grass. Rubbing his arms, half-heartedly, he and Toothless start walking toward home. Yeah, he'll go home. But he's not planning on sleeping.

_Maybe this thing isn't in the Book of Dragons, but Bork might have mentioned it in his notes somewhere. If it is there, maybe there'll be mention of a cure..._ He decides, quickening his pace. The sooner he gets home, the sooner he'll find out what kind dragon poisoned Astrid. With a determined glint in his eyes, Hiccup starts running. _Don't you worry, Astrid. I'll find a cure for you, no matter what! There's no way I'm gonna let you die..._


End file.
